Monday, June 3, 2013

10 Actors Who Could Play The Next Doctor

You would probably have heard by now that Matt Smith is leaving Doctor Who after his Christmas Special this year. Having been a brilliant Doctor for the past four years Matt’s departure triggers an interesting time for Who fans; the grieving followed by the excitement of a new Time Lord to go on adventures with.

Under the cut I talk about some of my picks for the next Doctor, regardless of whether or not they are feasible! Don’t worry; none of these actors are picked based on any rumours or knowledge that I have as to whether they are being considered. I also pair them with a suitable companion.

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Honourable mentions goto James Nesbit who is an amazing actor but would probably just be terrifying as the Doctor, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy who would both make fantastic Doctors but I feel are too famous currently to take on the role because of the X-Men franchise.

1. Robert Carlyle

Steven Moffat might decide that we want an older Doctor again and someone in the middle aged category that would be fantastic is Robert Carlyle. He’s an intense and engaging actor and can definitely play some of the darker aspects of the Doctor very well which would offset Matt’s recent adorably quirky uncle portrayal. Carlyle also has charisma in spades which any Time Lord needs to win over the hearts and minds of viewers. You can see Robert Carlyle currently in Once Upon a Time or previously in Stargate Universe, 24, the Hitler mini-series and The Full Monty.

Who would play his Companion?

Lenora Crichlow of Being Human fame would make a fantastic companion for any Doctor but Robert Carlyle’s Doctor is going to need a person with exceptional intellect and the ability to fight back and debate rather than to blindly follow. Lenora has played some really feisty and strong women in her time with sincerity and vulnerability.

2. Harry Lloyd

Harry Lloyd is a wonderful young actor who has the kind of otherworldly look to him that would make him an amazing Doctor. Harry previously played Son of Mine in the tenth Doctor adventures “Human Nature” and “The Family of Blood”. He was incredible in those episodes and reusing old Who actors has never really been a problem in new Who. I think this would be a stunning new pick. You can see Harry’s work in Game of Thrones, the BBC’s Robin Hood and Oscar and Jim.

Who would play his Companion?

Matthew James Thomas of Britannia High fame but most recently playing the lead in the Spiderman musical and Pippin on Broadway would be great. Odd choice you might think but this young man has an inquisitiveness to the characters he plays and I think Harry’s Doctor would suit a male companion for a spell. I also think Kaya Scodelario from the original Skins generation one would be fantastic. Maybe they’d be brother and sister?!

3. Marc Warren

The Doctor Who finale made mention of the Doctor coming to be known as the Valeyard; an evil incarnation of the Doctor occurring somewhere towards the end of his run of regenerations. I won’t go into the specifics here but if Matt was number 11 then what better time to introduce the dark regeneration of The Doctor. Marc Warren would be the perfect choice; he oozes talent and mystery and I think he would be able to play the kind of unhinged Doctor that slowly descends into the Valeyard perfectly. Even thinking about it is making me excited. Marc played Elton in the tenth Doctor episode Love and Monsters and you’ve seen him in Hustle and The Hogfather.

Who would play his Companion?

It’s unlikely that Emilia Clarke will be excused from her role as Daenery’s Targaryen in Game of Thrones any time soon, but she would be a worthy companion for a Valeyard Doctor; whether fighting him or being evil as well. Emilia has managed to play a ferociously strong woman who by all other accounts would be construed as weak and this would be an asset with this type of Doctor.

4. Andrea Riseborough

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years that the Doctor should regenerate as a woman and certainly, there has been mention in the show of other Time Lord’s regenerating as women. If this was to happen in season 8 of the new series then Andrea Riseborough would be my choice. An incredible gifted actress, engaging on screen and I have no doubt she would be able to play the Doctor any way asked of her; with intensity, vulnerability, adventure and layers. If she keeps her red hair we may even get the ginger Doctor that previous incarnations have been hoping for! All superficiality aside, I honestly think that she is the perfect choice for a female Doctor and you can see her in The Devil’s Whore, Shadow Dancer and Oblivion.

Who would play her Companion?

Lucy Griffith would make a wonderful companion to Riseborough’s Doctor; especially if they were like sisters and best friends. I think that Lucy has real charm in her acting and can pull off being a likable and fun-loving character whilst being capable and even aggressive at times. Her portrayal of Marian in the BBC’s Robin Hood was fantastic for all of these reasons.

5. Tom Hiddleston

If we want a Shakesperian type Doctor; eloquent, charming and goofy, then I think Tom Hiddleston might be our man. It’s arguable that Tom has become too famous already to step into the role of Doctor but his balance between charm and serious acting capability makes him a perfect choice to increase reach to BBC America, having starred as Loki in the Blockbuster The Avengers. Tom has also done a number of interesting films including Deep Blue Sea, Archipelago and War Horse. His recent performance as Henry the 4th in the BBC’s The Hollow Crown showcased his awesome acting skills and his ability to balance roughish tendencies with the responsibility of being a leader.

Who would play his Companion?

Katie McGrath who played Morgana in the BBC’s Merlin would make an excellent companion and definitely needs some new material to sink her teeth into. Her early portrayal of Morgana showed her ability to play the brave and strong woman with her later descent indicating her ability to play a more dark and tortured soul. I think if Tom’s Doctor is more proper and polite then he’s going to need someone with bite and spark to offset him.

6. Iwan Rheon

Want to talk about another young actor who, like Matt Smith, has tremendous skill at a young age and could definitely play the 900 year old Time Lord trapped in a young man’s body? Iwan Rheon goes from strength to strength. His performance on Misfits over three seasons was masterful and he displayed an amazing array of intense emotions in that role. His current turn on Game of Thrones is showcasing this talent to a slightly lesser extent given his role, but he is nonetheless putting on a brilliant performance. A turn at the helm of the TARDIS might be just the thing to give Iwan the space to grow as an actor and give us an exceptional Time Lord.

Who will play his Companion?

Lara Pulver has been magnificent in everything I have seen her in; from Robin Hood to Sherlock. I think she is fantastic and that any new and younger Doctor should be paired up with a little bit of an older companion. Lara does sassy and seductive very well but she also does independent and inquisitive and will definitely be able to hold her own on screen.

7. Adrian Lester

Another topic of discussion since Tennant’s announcement to leave Doctor Who has been the casting of a dark skinned Doctor. The UK certainly has the talent and this should be considered without the shadow of a doubt; ethnic diversity in general is something that Doctor Who should work harder at portraying. But for my pick Adrian Lester has all the characteristics of a middle aged Doctor with a polished approach to adventure and a real sense of style. I think his calm and collected approach to many of his characters would give the Doctor a valuable asset moving into the next regeneration. Love it.

Who would play his Companion?

I recently saw that Natalie Dormer was cast as Door in a radio edition of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere series. The idea of Natalie as an eccentric adventurer thrilled me. We know she’s got the acting chops, having blown away audiences in Game of Thrones as the master manipulator Margaery Tyrell, earlier as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors I hear more recently as Irene Adler in Elementary. She'd kick arse.

8. Damien Molony

Damien recently played Hal the vampire on the UK’s Being Human series brilliantly. He’s proven that he can play a very very old character and that he has the acting chops to pull off any combination of dark, desperate, funny, vulnerable and dangerous which are some key characteristics of the Doctor. Damien might look a little too much like his predecessors David Tennant and Matt Smith but that can easily be remedied with wardrobe and hair changes.

Who would play his Companion?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Evanna Lynch. I know that she is now famous for a role so important in pop-culture (Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter) that it’s going to be difficult for her to break out of it but I think she’s got the ability to be a companion on Doctor Who and would play off nicely against an older and more mysterious Doctor. Her innocence mingled with courage would nicely complement Molony’s temperament.

9. David Morrissey

We had him in the tenth Doctor special The Next Doctor where his character Jackson Lake thought that he was the Doctor but wasn’t. It’d take some serious re-writing to create a story where he actually is an incarnation of the Doctor, but it’d be totally worth it. David Morrissey has systematically blown me away in everything I have seen him in. His Doctor would no doubt be nothing short of brilliant. You can check out David in Blackpool and The Walking Dead.

Who would play his Companion?

Lily James would make a fantastic young granddaughter type companion to this Doctor. She’s got heaps of spunk and sass and I think it’s time for a different Doctor/Companion relationship to love interest or best friend for New Who. You can check Lily out in Fast Girls and The Secret Diaries of a Call Girl.

10. James Spader

Okay, blasphemous I know, but if Moffat and Co. were to decide on a non-British Doctor then James Spader would have to be my choice. On the older side of the spectrum simply oozing wisdom and intensity, I think James would give us a very different Doctor to any before. It’d be interesting to see what he would come up with; whether his Doctor would be kind with a dark streak like a father or manic with a touch of insanity. I would love to find out. You can see some of James’ greatest work in Boston Legal.

Who would play his Companion?

Sierra McCormick; terrifying as Lilith in Supernatural as a child and still young enough to play a child in the TARDIS which, with a kindly old and manic Doctor, would be a good thing.